


Take care of my heart

by taekookreads9



Category: Naruto
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Slow Burn, Smut, brief Hinata and Kiba, sex scenes, shikamaru is clueless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:47:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23028034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taekookreads9/pseuds/taekookreads9
Summary: “Take care of my body,” Ino used to say to Shikamaru before doing her Shintenshin No Jutsu. She didn’t know that with time she would be asking him to take care of her heart, too.
Relationships: Nara Shikamaru/Yamanaka Ino
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	Take care of my heart

**Author's Note:**

> I love ShikaIno with all my heart and I wanted to write something about them. Hopefully this won’t suck. :)

“Shikamaru, take care of my body.” That’s what Ino used to say to him before doing her jutsu of transfer mind and body. Whenever Ino left her body, Shikamaru was there to hold her. With time, Ino didn’t need to tell Shikamaru about taking care of her body because it became something manual or automatic for them. They were on the same team, shared almost the same birthday, been friends since kids because of their families, lost Asuma-sensei, then lost their fathers; they knew each other better than anyone else. Ino and Shikamaru have been through almost everything together, and Ino, with time, realized she wanted to warn Shikamaru to take care of her heart, too, because it belong entirely to him- although, apparently, he had no idea about it. 

Now, Ino was used to suffer in silence about her true feelings for her teammate; even though Choji was also aware of it. She has loved Shikamaru immensely for so long, maybe since they were fifteen, but it took time for Ino to actually digest her feelings and admit to herself that Shikamaru annoyed her for other reasons than sometimes being a lazy boy. It annoyed her how him and Temari seemed to grew closer every time they saw each other. Ino burned with sadness and jealousy, but still said nothing to Shikamaru. Although her teammate could see how different Ino acted with him when Temari was around. 

Ino and Shikamaru were now eighteen, almost nineteen, and the burden of keeping her feelings to herself is becoming too much for Ino. Even if Ino had Sakura and Choji to talk to, she was determined now to do something. Ino had to, before it was too late. 

Ino was eating barbecue with Choji, even though it was only him eating and Ino staring at her plate lost in her thoughts.  
“Maybe it’s time I do something, Choji,” Ino finally broke her line of thoughts and silence. Choji listened.

“I’ve been telling you this since too long. What are you planing to do?” Choji asked.  
“Sakura gave me an idea yesterday I could invite him to dinner.” 

So that was the plan. Instead of going to a restaurant and possibly ran to every friend of Konoha –like always happened when Ino wanted some alone time with Shikamaru– she would invite him to her place and cook him dinner. Ino had a little table in front of her couch, they would eat whatever she cooked and watch some movie. If she was lucky enough, something would happen. They would be alone and close. 

That same day of telling her plans to Choji, Ino went to look for Shikamaru to the Hokage’s offices. She knew her teammate would be there working. Ino began to look for him in every place of the building until she finally found him outside, looking at the clouds. Shikamaru saw her too when he was about to go inside.  
“Ino?” Shikamaru was surprised to see his friend there. “Did Kakashi called you in today?”  
“Um. No,” Ino became nervous. “I came here looking for you actually.”  
“Really?” And Ino came closer to him trying to keep it calm and cool inside, although her heart was racing. A lifetime knowing him and still she couldn’t keep it together before asking him to have dinner alone with her.  
“Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?” Ino said quickly before thinking it too much.  
Shikamaru opened his mouth in surprise but tried to not look so confused.  
“Tonight?”  
“Yes. Tonight. At my place. I want to cook something new and I wanted to invite you. It’s been a long since we haven’t been alone together.”  
Shockingly for her, Ino was acting so calm that she radiated confidence and Shikamaru didn’t notice anything weird. Besides, they knew each other for so long that it wasn’t so strange at all. Inside Shikamaru’s head, Ino wanted to be with him because they had things in common and Ino wanted company.  
“Okay. So, tonight,” he said and Ino smiled at him, already excited for tonight. 

Ino prepared fried chicken, rice, and some desserts she knew Shikamaru loved.  
Shikamaru got at eight sharp and Ino opened the door wearing her prettiest dress– not too formal though. She kept her long hair down and smiled when she saw Shikamaru.  
Ino thought Shikamaru blushed when he saw her, but she wasn’t sure she was just imagining things because of the moment. 

All night things were normal between them, as always, but Ino felt her heart burning and racing at a fast speed whenever she and Shikamaru were sitting closer and closer on the couch. At one point, while they were watching a movie, she felt Shikamaru had his right arm raised in a manner so he could put it around Ino. She froze because if Ino moved, Shikamaru won’t hold her as she thought he would.  
At one moment, she felt so tense that Ino thought she would faint in any moment. If only Shikamaru turned his head right now, we would be only an inch away from kissing, Ino thought. 

The movie ended and the couple was left in silence glancing at the monitor turning black. Ino didn’t know what to say or do, she sure didn’t want to let her opportunity go away, but she wasn’t able also to move. 

It was turning late and Shikamaru helped Ino clean. Ino didn’t want him to go.  
“I can walk you home,” she said.  
“Why? You’re already home,” Shikamaru asked confused. He knew Ino was indeed acting weird tonight.  
“I- I just feel like walking.”  
After one or two seconds of silence, because it felt like an eternity for Ino, Shikamaru asked what was wrong, which left Ino feeling helpless.

“Ino, is something wrong? I feel like you want to tell me something.” And Ino felt like the inevitable needed to happen but was also afraid of the consequences. for the first time, she felt like she might lose Shikamaru. Because maybe, he didn’t feel the same way about her. 

“I’m just feeling a little bit anxious, can we walk a bit?”  
“Sure.”  
As they were starting to walk, Shikamaru broke the silence.  
“Ino, I’ve never seen you so pensive and quiet. I’m starting to worry.”  
“I’m okay,” Ino smiled. “I’m just thinking.”  
“Of what?”  
“Would you take a risk to do something you want so much?” Ino asked bluntly.  
“What do you mean?” Shikamaru was even more confused every time.  
“I mean- what if you feel and want to do something but you’re afraid of the consequences.” 

“Well... I don’t know. I guess it depends on how much you want it.” And Shikamaru stopped walking and glanced at Ino, trying to understand what was happening.  
“Hey. Talk to me.”  
With that, Ino was left with no way out. 

Ino took a breath but her lost her patience at herself and maybe at everything.  
“Shikamaru, for being the best strategist in Konoha, you’re being an idiot.”  
Ino felt tears coming in and didn’t know why. Nothing bad was happening, but she realized of the bad consequences and that no matter what, maybe she couldn’t keep things normal with Shikamaru anymore. She wanted to save their friendship for so long but now it doesn’t matter because her feelings are winning over this. 

Shikamaru didn’t know what to do or say. Back in his mind or heart, he knew what Ino meant, but his head was still playing games on him and tried to rationalize things.  
“Ino...” was the only word that he could utter. Tears were falling down on Ino’s cheeks. Ino shrieked and with her left arm, she hold her right one, as if she was trying to hold it. A defense mechanism to not fall apart. 

“What’s wrong?” Shikamaru put his hand over Ino’s left arm that was holding her other arm.  
“Don’t you know?” Ino looked at his black eyes while crying, and Shikamaru froze, opening his eyes widely– finally realizing what was going on. Panic was wrapping him in.  
“I tried. All of this. And all this time I’ve been trying to tell you, Shikamaru,” Ino kept talking looking at her shoes. If she focused on her shoes maybe her pain would go away. 

“I- A- A-“ Shikamaru mumbled and words didn’t come up. He didn’t know what to do, what to say. All he was feeling was panic. Ino got mad at him uncertainty but mostly with herself. She wiped the tears off her face.  
“Just forget it. It’s better if I leave.”  
“Ino- just wait for a minute.”  
“What!?” Ino almost yelled, angry.  
“W- well, you can’t just throw this bomb at me and expect me to react fast,” Shikamaru touched his head as he did when he was confused, annoyed, or figuring out what to do.  
“A bomb?”  
“Yeah. This,” Shikamaru said trying to make sense out of it. “I still don’t know what you want. What are you trying to say.”  
“Are you kidding me? I said it.”  
“No, you didn’t. I mean- yes, but no.”  
Ino had no patience left and she really didn’t want things turning out like this.  
“Do you want me to maybe do my jutsu on you? Go inside your head and try to explain it? What I wanted to say is that I love you.”  
Shikamaru had no words.  
“I invited you to be with you. I wanted to show you- to maybe tell you- but I failed. Maybe I was trying to make a move on you,” Ino felt as crying again but hold it in.  
“I love you. I loved you for too long.” 

There was nothing more to say. 

•••••••••

Ino woke up next day wanting to erase last night. After confessing to Shikamaru and messing things up, she got so mad at him for saying nothing that Ino punched Shikamaru and left him. She knew she didn’t react the best way, and her explosive self took her in. Yes, Ino always yelled and punched whoever didn’t act the way or say what she wanted. Even when she was put in the same team with Shikamaru and Choji, the first thing she told them was “you better listen to me and do what I say.” And she knew how annoyed Shikamaru was at that but he only answered “yeah, whatever.”  
Choji and Shikamaru were the best teammates she could have asked for. With time, she left her old ways. Ino would be always bossy, in a good way, and determined, but she learned to work as a team and without knowing, in the process, fell in love with Shikamaru. 

Now her old ways were present last night as she punched Shikamaru after telling him two minutes before she loved him.  
“Men are idiots,” she thought. Still, after losing two important man figures for her, Ino didn’t want to lose another one. Losing her father and Asuma was the worst thing that could happen to her. If she lose Shikamaru, too, what was the point. 

That day, Ino worked at the flower shop, hoping she wasn’t called in for a mission or having to go to the Hokage. Seeing today Shikamaru would be too embarrassing. 

Later, she remembered tonight was Sakura’s birthday and they all were invited to her house to celebrate. She knew she couldn’t not go, so Ino only hopes that hopefully Shikamaru won’t go. But deep down Ino does hope Shikamaru shows up. 

She puts her happiest face to attend one of her closest friend’s birthday hoping that seeing Shikamaru won’t be as embarrassing as she thinks it will be. Choji calms her down and promises everything will be alright.  
“What if he hates me?” She asks worried.  
“He would never hate you, Ino.”

Ino sees all her friends happy and having fun. In a moment she catches a figure of a familiar guy that never passes unnoticed even if he desperately tries. Ino feels as her heart would stop in any minute, but everything goes down for her when she sees Shikamaru is with a blond girl and two other guys: Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara. 

Not only he acted like an idiot the other night, but now he brings along Temari, the girl he obviously liked, and her brothers. Ino feels anger rising up through all her body and Choji noticing everything, he looks at her worried.  
“I’m going to beat him up,” Choji says.  
“It’s okay, Cho. Just leave him. I don’t care.” But how much I care, she thinks. 

Shikamaru wants to go to Ino but Naruto and the others gather up around Shikamaru and Gaara. Ino pretends she’s busy talking to Sakura, Tenten, and Neji. It all hits too much when she sees Tenten and Neji holding hands. It’s nothing new- they have been dating for a while now, but it feels lonely for Ino. Sakura looks at her wondering what’s wrong but Ino doesn’t feel like talking. She wants to forget Shikamaru came to the party with Temari. 

“Ino! Come here!” Kiba shouts from the other side of the place and interrupts Ino’s thoughts. Kiba suggests they play beer pong in teams.  
“What about team 8 against team 10?” Ino notices Shikamaru is staring at her but she doesn’t turn to see him.  
“I’m sorry, Kiba. I don’t feel like it. Maybe Shikamaru could play with Temari,” and just like that Ino leaves. As she is walking towards nowhere, she feels someone touching her by the shoulder.  
“Ino.” It’s Shikamaru.  
“Ino. Can we talk?”  
“What about?” Ino answers irritated.  
“It’s not as it looks.”  
“What? You coming with Temari the next day I tell you how I feel?”  
“It’s not like that. They came to  
Konoha for Kakashi and Naruto invited them over. I was just being polite, Ino.” Shikamaru wants to explain but deep downs know he can’t make things right at this moment, but desperately wants to.  
Ino notices Sakura is looking at them wondering if Ino is alright. She doesn’t want to make a scene, even though everyone is minding their own business.  
“I don’t want to talk right now, Shikamaru.” Fearing that tears will come again, Ino goes to the bathroom and pours some water to her face. 

When Ino goes back to the living room where everyone seems to have fun, she sits next to Tenten.  
“Ino, are you okay? You seem off.”  
“I’m okay,” she manages to smile. 

“WHAT THE HELL?” A shout from Naruto interrupts and startles everyone. Sakura punches Naruto after screaming and tells him to shut up. Ino looks at what freaked out Naruto and she suddenly sees Kiba is hugging Hinata and leaving sweet kisses on her lips; Hinata is wrapping her arms around Kiba’s waist and hiding her face on his chest. Everyone is pretending they’re not freaking out like Naruto did and try to mind their own business.  
“Aww, so sweet,” Tenten says next to Ino.  
“Love wins!” Lee says excited. 

Not that Ino doesn’t feel happy for Hinata and Kiba, they look very sweet together, but this presses her chest and leaves her without much air to breathe. She looks down, pensive and sad. Ino stands up and leaves to go outside to catch some air. Shikamaru hasn’t stopped looking at her and follows her, leaving Neji talking alone. 

Outside, Ino feels like tears are pouring and in and they don’t stop. She starts to remember Asuma and her father. All the moments she used to have with her team, with Shikamaru. Ino wishes she could be clearer with her feelings, her words.  
“Are you okay?” Shikamaru asks behind her, keeping his distance fearing it’s not a good time to talk.  
“I don’t want to talk right now. Not when you’re with Temari.”  
“I’m not *with* her, I told you.”  
“Doesn’t matter, you came with her or whatever. I don’t want to talk right now.”  
Shikamaru and Ino stay silent.  
The pressure on Ino’s chest grows and she feels like she will faint.  
“I want Sakura,” she manages to say.  
“You want me to go get her?”  
“Yes,” Ino says, still not looking at him. 

A minute or two later, Sakura comes to Ino and sits next to her.  
“Ino, what’s wrong?” Ino wipes her tears.  
“I’m in love with Shikamaru.” Sakura says nothing for a moment.  
“I kinda knew. Sometimes,” she says back, “did something happened?”  
“Yesterday I told him but it didn’t come like I wanted to. And now I’m mad because he’s here with Temari.”  
“Did he tell you he doesn’t love you back?”  
“No. He panicked and didn’t say anything.”  
“He probably was in shock. Ino, I really believe he loves you back. And since he came here he hasn’t even seen or talked to Temari; he’s only looking at you, finding you with his eyes and trying to mend something. I wouldn’t worry about Temari honestly. I’m sorry me and Naruto invited her tonight.”  
“No, it’s okay,” Ino answers. “It’s not your fault. I guess I was expecting Shikamaru told me he loved me, too.”  
“But he hasn’t told you he doesn’t.” 

••••••

Next day, Shikamaru was at the Hokage’s offices working. As usual, he went outside to catch some air and look at the clouds. He took Asuma’s lightener outside and played with it. Shikamaru thought about him as he always did, expecting some kind of advice from his sensei. What would Asuma tell me about me and Ino? He thinks. His thoughts are interrupted by someone talking to him. It’s Naruto.

“Hey, Shikamaru. What are you doing?”  
Shikamaru stops thinking for a minute and decides to talk to his friend.  
“Just thinking...”  
“About anything in particular?”  
“Ino told me she loved me and I fucked up.” Naruto was surprised by the revelation and opened his mouth in shock.  
“What!?”  
“Yeah...”  
Naruto gulps and looks again at Shikamaru who’s staring at the clouds still.  
“And do you love her?”  
“I do. But I panicked and didn’t tell her. Probably because I was scared.”  
“What are you scared of?” Naruto was curious.  
“I don’t know. Mortality. Losing another person I care of. Losing her friendship. I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense anymore-“  
Naruto stays in silence for a minute, thinking. 

“I think it is pretty scary to be in love with someone. But you can’t let fear take you. Sometimes you just gotta risk it and go with it,” Naruto says and Shikamaru looks at him surprised that he’s giving him love advices.  
“Look, I’m not a bloody poet but you and Ino are kind of soulmates and I think you know it too. Whatever that means.”  
Shikamaru smiles and the fear goes away.  
“Thank you, Naruto. Again, you’re saving lives.”  
Naruto proudly smiles and jokingly says “it’s what I do.”

••••

That same afternoon, Shikamaru goes to find Ino. The flower shop is already closed so he goes to her place but she’s not there either. As soon as he is leaving to find Sakura and ask her about Ino, she notices a blonde girl walking near the meadow and the lake. Shikamaru wishes she could read his mind. 

“Hey.” And Ino stops walking to see Shikamaru is in front of her. She has been walking looking at her feet that Ino didn’t realize he was close.  
“Hey...” Ino mumbles.  
People is passing by next to them but time stops around them. Shikamaru, looking at her, is too afraid of letting her go again.  
“Do you want to walk with me?” And Ino accepts. 

If this silence doesn’t speak louder than words, than bombs, then Ino or Shikamaru don’t know what else would do.  
They talk and walk for some time until they reach the barbecue place where they always used to go as students. They pass the place and Ino sits at a bench near the park. Shikamaru wants to sit down next to her but can’t keep still for more than ten seconds. Looking at that, Ino stands up and goes closer to him.  
“Do you want to sit down at the barbecue place?”  
“Ino...” Shikamaru grabs Ino’s hands before she goes away or doesn’t let him finish speak. Ino stays quiet, with her heart in her throat. Sometimes words are not enough to explain. Shikamaru closes the distance between them and moves his head closer to hers, placing his lips on Ino’s. The kiss is gentle and soft at first. Everything is moving inside them. Ino wraps her hands by Shikamaru’s shoulders and deepens the kiss. Shikamaru holds Ino’s waist and then her face, feeling her warmness. 

•••••

Some days later, Ino and Shikamaru are at another reunion with their friends. Music is loud and everyone is moving. Most of them are going to missions the next day and none want to be late, but it’s the last time they can gather before being absent for some time.  
Ino kisses Shikamaru wrapping her arms around him. Shikamaru holds her tight and takes her outside from the noise. The kisses deepen with each second that passes and they can’t breathe. Ino and Shikamaru are left alone standing in a corner and they start to touch everywhere, needy. Shikamaru leaves sweet kisses on Ino’s neck and tells her how much he loves her. The kiss is even more hard on their lips and Ino can’t hold it in for much longer.  
“Can we leave?” She asks him. 

••••••

On their way to Ino’s place, she starts to feel excited but nervous, too. Getting close to her best friend, a guy she knows since they were kids. Shikamaru feels it too. But when they get to Ino’s place and start to kiss again, worries disappear.

She goes to the bathroom and Shikamaru waits for her sitting on her bed. Ino smiles at herself at the mirror. When did she ever imagine she would be right now about to have sex with Shikamaru? 

They only need to kiss and everything else doesn’t matter. Soon, Ino removes Shikamaru’s shirt glancing at his abdomen, and Shikamaru does the same to her, until they’re not dressed anymore. 

Shikamaru is sitting and Ino puts herself on top of him while he holds her with his two arms. Everything is messy, wet, and passionate. Shikamaru, in a blink of an eye, places Ino down and goes on top of her, touching her. He starts to touch Ino not yet removing her panties. Shikamaru touches and rubs gently while Ino, feeling everything, starts to gasp and feels desperate for more. Ino is so wet she feels she could die. Shikamaru loves feeling Ino so wet and so close.  
Slowly, he removes Ino’s panties while kissing her legs and she stands up to kiss him before they do anything else. They hold each other for a minute.  
“I love you,” he says.  
“I love you. So much,” Ino answers. 

Shikamaru slowly enters into her, while Ino gasps, both looking at each other, holding air. Shikamaru makes sure Ino is okay, and when she asks for more, Shikamaru starts thrusting deeper and deeper, slow and then faster.  
“Aahhhh- shit,” Ino manages to say. There’s a spot where Shikamaru thrusts that makes Ino feel even more, so he keeps moving there. Their kisses are even more messy, not kisses but touching their tongues and moaning. Ino thinks there’s nothing better than Shikamaru inside her, touching her, her touching him. They move even more.  
“I. I only. Want. To be. With. You,” Ino whispers in Shikamaru’s ear, as he keeps thrusting.  
“Then I’m yours. Forever,” he answers while touching her with everything he can. Ino can’t stop moaning and lets herself go after Shikamaru kept stimulating her clit.  
Ino goes on top of Shikamaru for a while and keeps moving her hips until Shikamaru can’t keep it anymore and finishes. 

They are sweaty and feel all hot inside. They keep laying down on their backs while Shikamaru holds Ino’s hand and Ino kisses his hand. Ino would disintegrate right now with how much she is feeling.

“I can’t wait to do this everyday. To kiss you everyday and every moment we can,” Shikamaru says smiling and then kisses Ino.  
“Take care of my heart,” Ino whispers closely to him, both staring intensely at each other.  
“Forever.”


End file.
